Home Choice policy rejected

Buckingham town councillors have rejected the proposed Bucks Home Choice housing allocation policy put forward by Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) as it “does not reflect the desires of the local people and their aspirations to keep communities together”.

The proposed policy outlines how people are placed on the housing register and who gets priority.

It proposes that properties should be offered on a district-wide basis, so an Aylesbury resident bidding for a home in Buckingham would be given the same weight based on local connection as a resident of Buckingham.

District councillor for Buckingham North, Tim Mills, spoke at the town council meeting on Monday night.

Mr Mills said the district was the third largest district council area in the country. He said it should be subdivided into sub-areas for housing allocation purposes, in order to keep family groups close to one another.

Mr Mills also voiced his concerns at a meeting of AVDC’s environment and living scrutiny committee when it discussed the Bucks Home Choice policy on Tuesday.

The cross-party committee voted unanimously to ask cabinet to go back and do a further report on the basis of a more local allocation policy.